Voice Choice: Richard Hell & Christopher Wool

June 25, 2008

On the cover of Richard Hell and the Voidoids’ 1977 Blank Generation, Hell famously posed with the phrase “You Make Me ___” scrawled across his bare chest. Nearly 20 years later, acclaimed abstract artist Christopher Wool approached Hell for permission to use the words in a painting, and the two have been friends and collaborators ever since. Combining Hell’s words and Wool’s artistry, the two create humorous images that are not unlike a game of word jumble (for instance, which two words can you find in “perpenilsis”?). Tonight, they’ll discuss their recently released book of pictures, Psychopts. Barry Schwabsky, a poet and co-editor of Artforum’s international-review section, moderates the discussion. At 7, the Strand, 828 Broadway, 212-473-1452, strandbooks.com, free

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